


Catch Me (If You Can)

by iamleegracey



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fem!Tao, Mild Gore, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Swearing, fem!baekhyun, fem!d.o., fem!luhan - Freeform, fem!xiumin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-25 08:26:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12032007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamleegracey/pseuds/iamleegracey
Summary: [Prompt #H29] Infamous mutant hunter Kim Minseon finds herself inside the hut of the enigmatic Zhang Yixing after a bloody encounter with powerful mutants Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee.





	Catch Me (If You Can)

**Author's Note:**

> to the prompter, this might not be what you have asked for and I’m so sorry. It’s not really my best work but I would love to hear what ya’ll think of it. And to the mods, thank you for being patient and running another successful round of the fic fest!

The forest seemed like an unsolvable maze to Minseon, and the smoldering burns on her side didn't helped her track her target that afternoon. 

She was tasked to capture (or kill, depends on her current mood) Lay, a Near-Omega mutant that is so mysterious, his full ability remains unknown to the government. Some speculate he could even bring a person to life and some claim he can kill peopke with just a mere touch. Sources say he had been frequenting a remote village by the foot of some mountain in the northern regions, and Agent Kim Minseon quickly grabbed the opportunity to track him down. 

The only big problem is that these sources were not verified as the government themselves do not have any idea how Lay looked like.

And to make matters worse, Minseon encountered two high profile mutants while scouring the forest: Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee.

Park Chanyeol was an Alpha level mutant with the ability to conjure and control fire at will. He had been out of the priority list for quite some time since he's been off radar recently – earning the Codename Phoenix due to his inactivity. 

Byun Baekhee, on the other hand, is a Near-Omega Level mutant capable of casting illusions through light manipulation. The lightbearer, as she's popularly known among hunters, is one of the strong mutants that can't be easily tracked. In fact, she was presumed dead due to lack of data after the lakeside battle where a handful of mutants died.

Being notoriously known as a ruthless mutant hunter, Kim Minseon wasn't new to hunting Alpha Level mutants. Hunting Alpha Level ones is like a walk through a park in her opinion. The challenge was Byun Baekhee, a type of mutant that Minseon had never encountered before. 

Minseon's biggest mistake that day was to let her mind decide impulsively, carelessly attacking an equally startled Chanyeol. She clearly underestimated the tall guy since in just a split of a second, her side was burning and her skin was forming blisters and burns. She deduced that she's also under Baekhee's illusion since she's been running in circles for quite some time now. 

If this is how encountering a Near-Omega mutant is like, then may the gods help her in killing Lay.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she took a turn and ended up surrounded with numerous clones of Chanyeol. 

“Fight fair and square, you cowards!” Minseon spat angrily, her good hand already reaching for a weapon on her back pouch. The numerous Chanyeol clones smirked at her mockingly before opening their mouths, only to have his and Baekhee's voice come out in perfect harmony.

“Are we really the coward ones, Kim Minseon?”

Minseon knew this is going to be a hard battel to survive, and she couldn't blame anyone but her. She's in a total disadvantage considering her injuries, is outnumbered and Byun Baekhee fucking up with her mind at that moment. No one gets out alive from Byun Baekhee's illusions once you get trapped, unless she spares you, which is highly unlikely for Minseon. Talk about playing fair. She might be dying that day, but she won't go down without a fight. Her fingers gripped at the end of a knife before placing it in front of her defensively. 

“Well, who's the one hiding behind an illusion?” Minseon took a deep breath as she felt her sides constrict in pain. Her stance faltered, earning a mocking laugh from the mutants. “Tell me where's Lay, and I might spare you two.”

“Why should we even tell you? Just give up, little girl, and I might consider sparing you.” 

“In your dreams, mutant. Go rot in hell.” Minseon scoffed, spitting on the ground before attacking the nearest clone with a loud cry. The clone immediately disintegrated upon contact with her blade. 

One down, a million more to go.

In a blink of an eye, Minseon was attacked by the clones, easily overpowering her. No matter how much she struggled, there's always one Park Chanyeol holding her down until she was pinned on the ground. There were cuts and bruises and blood all over her body and she was sure her arms, legs and a number of ribs were broken. Her weapon was nowhere to be found, leaving her open and very vulnerable to Baekhee and Chanyeol.

At that moment, Minseon knew it's over. The mutants were victorious over her. 

Was it wrong to wish for a quick death from her captors? 

And then there was a feeling of seering heat from her legs. Minseon teared up as she smelled the foul odor of flesh being burned. Her teeth bit hard on her chapped lips, digging harder with every second that passes by. She wouldn't let the pleasure of having these vile creatures watch her succumb into pain. It felt like a thousand of years had passed as each of the remaining clones took turns in burning every inch of Minseon. She knew it was all in her mind, but it was hard to ignore the pain of having your limbs burn into nothingness. It was a losing battle to even resist Baekhee's control over her mind.

Is this how it feels like to be in hell? 

“Who's rotting in hell now, bitch?” 

When the fire reached her torso, Minseon couldn't help but let out a loud scream. It seemed like the flame was a thousand times hotter than it was earlier. Tears pooled up in the corners of her eyes as she hears Baekhee's mocking laughter all around her. 

So this was it. This was how the notorious mutant hunter Kim Minseon dies, and it was all because of stupid and impulsive decisions. All the trainings and skills she worked so hard for dissolved into nothing just because of her adrenaline. She felt like her funeral would be a big laughingstock, that is if the agency even finds her mangled remains. 

Her vision started to dim, her surroundings fading into darkness as the flame slowly ate up every inch of her being. And just when she was about to give her last breath, everything stopped. 

Her mind suddenly became clear as if she had been freed from a spell. The sun was still high up the skies, the summer breeze kissing her skin and the trees towering over her. Her limbs were still intact –albeit broken– and though her clothes were littered with cuts, there weren't any signs that she was almost burned to death earlier. The ones left were the bruises and wounds that were probably from running and fighting Chanyeol.

Minseon scanned the area to find that she was alone and it left her wondering what made Baekhee and Chanyeol spare her. Damn, now she owes her life to those freaks. But before she could even contemplate on the fact that she's still alive, her vision blurred and her head tossed back, dragging her to unconsciousness.

\--

The smell of something burning quickly jolted Minseon awake. Her frantic eyes instinctively landed on her legs, as if to check if the illusion was back – or worse, the illusion turned into reality. She tried to sit up only to hiss in pain with just a slight movement. Her eyes watered at the pain quickly spreading through her bandaged legs and– 

Wait.

Minseon quickly scanned her surroundings, finding herself in a small room while the rain was pounding hard on the tattered, wooden walls. She wasn’t in the forest, waiting for death to claim her, and neither were her injuries exposed. In fact, her dislocated legs were bandaged neatly with a makeshift splint. Her side was still painful yet it was patched with gauze and probably some ointment. 

What the hell is happening? Did someone found her and treated her injuries?

“Oh, you're up. That's good, the stew's gonna be ready in a while. How are you feeling?” 

Minseon’s hand would have instinctively and subtly reached for her trusty old knife in her waist pouch, but her state of weakness prevented her from doing so. Also, said pouch is missing. Actually, her uniform was replaced with a tattered men’s shirt and shorts that were far too big for her size. Even her watch that serves as her tracker as well as communicator to the headquarters was gone. 

She’s entirely vulnerable, a state that Minseon never wanted to be in. Minseon mentally cursed before staring at her captor. 

Droopy eyes, messy brown hair with soft curles, tall nose and dimpled cheeks. The guy seemed like he's the same age as Minseon and the smile that he's flashing to her makes him look harmless. 

Or is he? 

You can never tell. Minseon studied the other's features, trying to remember any similarities from the records of mutants in the agency's database, yet Minseon couldn't match any. Unless he's Lay perhaps? 

Fat chance. 

“Who are you and where am I?”

There was a flash of lightning as the young man stepped closer to Minseon, and she instinctively scooted away from him – which leads to her being trapped in between the advancing guy and the wall. This is just great. 

“My name is Zhang Yixing and you're in my hut.” 

Zhang Yixing. The name sounded foreign and unfamiliar to Minseon. So far, she hasn't heard any mutant with that name. Then again, there are lots of mutants who go by fake aliases. Who's to say this guy is not a mutant just because he saves injured people and gives out warm, dimpled smiles? 

Yet if he really is a mutant, why would he let Kim Minseon –world renowned notorious mutant hunter who had killed hundreds of his supposed kind– live after finding her in a vulnerable state? Because let's face it, no single mutant hasn't ever heard nor saw her. And judging by the guy in front of her, he either has no idea who she is or he's good at playing pretend. 

She likes to think it's the former for once.

“How did you find me? Where are my clothes?” 

“Wouldn't it be fair if you tell me who you are first?” Yixing chuckled softly, sitting on the edge of the cot and barely a few centimeters away from Minseon. It sent a spike of fear in Minseon. Mutant or not, being cornered makes Minseon uncomfortable being injured with no weapons at all. 

“I'm Minseon.” 

“Nice to meet you Minseon. Do you think you can wa–”

“Where am I exactly and how did you find me?”

It sounded harsh and rude, Minseon knew, judging from the wince marring Yixing's (handsome) face. But the idea of her not knowing where she was and what really happened to her doesn't sit well with Minseon. A sigh escaped Yixing before he faced the young woman. 

“You're in my hut, a few hundred meters from the foot of the mountain where I found you.” Yixing ran a hand through his unruly hair before staring at Minseon. Doubt started filling up Minseon. She scanned Yixing subtly, from his unruly hair to his worn-out shirt. 

“Why do you live in the mountains?”

“Why do you even hang out on the foot of the mountain? It's a known hotspot for mutants. Unless you’re a mutant hunter. You're one, aren't you?”

“Of course, you would know. Are you one of the mutants who hang out there too?”

A scoff escaped Yixing and for a moment, Minseon felt remorse at how she acted. 

“I’m a traditional doctor. I use herbs and plants to heal, and it just so happened that rare plants are abundant in this area. How about you? What brings you here? Hunting a high-profile mutant?”

You could say that.

“You claim you’re a doctor. Did you tend to my wounds?”

“Yeah, though I must say it wasn’t quite easy. Took me almost the whole night to finish up.” There was a tired yet proud smile gracing Yixing’s mouth and it comforted Minseon just a little bit. 

“The whole night? How long was I out?’

“Since I found you? Two days.”

Oh fuck. She’s so screwed. She hadn’t reported at the headquarters for two whole days. Everybody would know she sneaked out without any permission to do so. Kris would definitely skin her alive – that is if she could escape this hut with her state.

“Judging from the wounds and injuries you obtained, I was certain your chances of survival were so low–”

“Look, I’m thankful and all that but I really need my watch.”

There was a look of bewilderment in Yixing’s face before he tilted his head. Minseon would’ve founded it cute, if not for the fact that she’s desperate to contact the headquarters. 

“Watch?”

“Yeah. The black one on my right wrist. I’m pretty sure I was wearing it before I passed out.”

The look Yixing had was enough to spell doom for Minseon. She could already envision the words Yixing would mutter.

“Oh no. No, no, no, I need that watch…!” Minseon tried to sit up only to feel her sides burning as well as he legs complaining about to sudden movement. She decided to ignore the pain, pushing herself to sit up before and almost giving a triumphant cheer when she hauled herself up halfway off the bed. And then her side started burning up nauseous.

“Woah there. I think you have to take it slow.” Yixing sighed as he helped Minseon up on the bed, despite the protests from the latter. “You’re one hell of a fighter, aren’t you?”

“Couldn’t say you’re wrong there.” There was a spike of pride that shoot through Minseon’s ego despite her situation. If there was one thing she was proud of, it’s her ability to fight every battle she was in, even if she was on the losing side. 

Just like how her battle with Baekhee and Chanyeol was – a losing one before they even begun. 

Another round of thunder rumbled followed closely by a flash of lightning so bright Minseon thought she might be blinded. Could a lightning be that bright? Yixing, however, only chuckled and stared out of the window quite amusedly. 

“Ah, I think the heavens agree on me on this one.” 

Another angry lightning sparked after a loud boom of thunder made Yixing chuckle once more. Minseon thought the heavens was as if voicing its opinion against her – which was highly unlikely, unless the weather’s being con– 

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Minseon stared as Yixing quickly strode towards a makeshift side table, where some rolls of bandages, few cups and bowls were placed. He took one roll and a cup before handing it to Minseon with a smile. “It’s time for you to change bandages and drink some medicine.”

Doubt crept up Minseon once more as she stared at the transparent liquid sloshing inside the cup. What are the chances that the liquid isn’t poisoned? She looked up at Yixing’s smiling face, dimple peeking from his cheek.

What are the chances that Yixing would kill her after excruciatingly healing her? 

Unless Yixing’s one psychopath killer who likes to kill his patients after healing them, Minseon thought. 

“Can’t blame you if you’re doubting the concoction. It’s actually just extracts of herbs to help you recuperate…more like an energy drink or protein bar.” Yixing said with eyes locked on Minseon’s before he took a big gulp from the cup. Minseon found herself blinking as Yixing offered her the cup once more, content already half empty as he let out a relieved sigh. “Ah, that always felt good after a long operation.”

It took a few more moments of Minseon staring at the cup before she let out a sigh. If she would die, then maybe it’s really her time to go. She took the cup and brought it to her lips while her eyes never left Yixing. 

“This might be a little painful…” Yixing muttered as he barely raised her shirt, almost shaking his head at the blood gushing through the bandage. He gently tore off the soiled bandage and clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. Soon, he produced a vial that seemed like an ointment, scooping some on his fingers before pressing them on Minseon’s blistering skin.

The action made Minseon hiss and letting the liquid slip past her open mouth. One swallow turned to two, three until she found herself drinking till the last drop. A calming wave rushed through her veins and somehow, she felt refreshed. She didn’t even notice that Yixing wrapping up the wound with a new set of gauze and bandage.

What kind of drink was that?

“Told you it’s good.” Yixing smiled as he carefully locked the bandage in place before he stood up. “Now, do you think you could wait up a bit for the stew?”

\--

Dinner was uneventful to say the least. If anything, Minseon found it interesting to say the least. 

The stew Yixing served wasn’t the best one Minseon had tasted, but it wasn’t that bad. She also has to give credit that he served her on her make shift cot, and even sat on the floor just so he could eat with her.

But that wasn’t the most interesting part. 

Even through the stormy weather, Yixing couldn’t stop talking about anything and everything under the sun. Even if Minseon decided to remain quiet and wanted to shut Yixing up, she couldn’t, not when she thinks Yixing must have been craving for someone to talk to. 

Minseon listened as Yixing told her that he once was an intern at one of the largest hospitals at the capital, that he wanted really didn’t know what path he should take until he visited his homeland – China. There, he grew quite a fascination with traditional medication. And, as quoted from Yixing himself, the rest was history. 

He also recalled how he encountered some mutants during his years of isolation in the mountain and even if Minseon tried so hard, her interest was piqued. 

“There’s this guy who could teleport. He was quite a helpful companion while I was harvesting some plants a few kilometers away from here. Lessened more than half of the time I usually spend on doing that.” 

A scoff went out of Minseon as she recalled any teleporting mutant she might have encountered before. 

“Helpful? I don’t think so, Yixing.”

Minseon received an amusing look from Yixing as he leaned closer, eyes boring holes at her. Somehow, she felt like she was being scrutinized, and it almost made her squirm.

“Yeah? Then how do you see them, Minseon?” Yixing said and if Minseon listened just a bit harder, she would’ve heard the humor in the other’s voice. 

“A nuisance.” 

A flash of lightning cracked through the skies, as if it was disagreeing with what Minseon was saying. The rain seemed to even pour heavily as the winds blew harder and Minseon pointedly glare at the scenery outside the window. Yixing, on the other hand, had the audacity to chuckle and it irked Minseon. 

“What? You asked me how I think of them.” 

“I know that. Do all mutant hunters think of them as a nuisance?”

“What do you think?”

A chuckle went out of Yixing just as another bright lightning flashed through the dark skies. Minseon found herself scrunching her nose in distaste, eyes glaring at the wet scenery out of the window. 

“Is the weather here always this…unpleasant?”

“I wouldn’t say unpleasant. But I think it depends on the…nature’s mood. Sometimes it’s scorching hot though there are tons of trees around,” Yixing chuckled and turned his gaze out of the window as well. 

“And there are times like this? When the downpour is too inconvenient to be productive?”

“Well, not really. It’s a good way to blow off some steam, you know. Just like how the nature seemed to do so by sending a downpour.”

“How long will it take for this storm to end?”

“I really have no idea. Minutes, hours, days…who’s to know?” Another chuckle escaped Yixing, making Minseon irritated. Her chance of reporting to the headquarters and evading a grave sanction is getting slimmer. 

“I don’t quite understand how…someone can survive with that kind of impulsive weather.” 

Thunder rumbled loudly, as if opposing every word Minseon says, yet before she could even react at the quite unusual phenomenon, Yixing’s chuckle echoed through the walls once more. There was quite a relaxing thing about his chuckle that Minseon found peculiar, since just moments ago, the sound of the high-pitched chuckle irked her. 

“And I don’t understand how a human can hunt a fellow human being just because there’s a slight difference in their DNA.”

“Excuse me?”

“You might never know, Minseon. Not all of them are the monsters that the government perceive them to be.” There it was again, Yixing’s chuckle that should have made Minseon more irritated but only made her calm and level-headed. Minseon tried to send a glare to Yixing yet she was sure it was anything but a glare judging from the amused look at Yixing’s face. “So, how long have you been hunting mutants?”

The question caught Minseon off-guard. How long has it been? Truthfully, she has lost track because it felt like she’s been doing this since forever. 

“I really can’t remember. Three, five, ten years. Time doesn’t matter if you enjoy what you’re doing.”

“Do you really? I mean enjoy killing off mutants?”

“Maybe yes, maybe no. What is it you?”

Yixing shrugged and took a sip from his almost forgotten stew. 

“Curiosity. You seemed to be good too, judging from you surviving that battle you had two days ago.” Yixing smiled and Minseon refused to admit that her heart did skip a beat. Okay, who was she kidding anyway? Yixing looked nice, more than nice to be honest. “So, what kind of mutants did this to you?” 

It was Minseon’s turn to shrug. 

“An Alpha level mutant than can control fire and a Near-Omega one that casts illusions.” 

“Ah…that sounds fascinating.”

“I don’t see your point.”

“Probably, judging from your profession.” Minseon let out a scoff that didn’t hindered Yixing to continue. “I mean, I’m a doctor, I find it fascinating that their DNAs are similar in structure yet they manifest different powers. They don’t really differ that much to humans, in terms of physical manifestations.”

Minseon rolled her eyes before blurting out the first thing that she thought off just so they could avoid the topic of mutants. She just doesn’t understand how a person could be fascinated to those abominations. And to even compare them to humans? It’s an absurd and disturbing idea.

“How about you? Do you enjoy living in solitary in the middle of nowhere?” Minseon blurted out as she poked her wooden spoon against the contents of the bowl in her lap. 

“Can’t say I’m entirely loving it. But it gave me the freedom from the stereotyping system in the capital, plus I encounter…interesting people.” Yixing said with an enigmatic smile, dimple making an appearance. Before Minseon could ponder more about it, Yixing clapped his hands and stood, gathering his plate and gesturing to Minseon’s. 

“Yeah, sure. Thanks for the meal.” 

Just as Yixing turned to get out of the room with the dirty dishes, Minseon can’t help but think that Yixing is interesting, albeit a bit weird. She could only wish the storm would end soon before she’s driven insane. Soon enough, the object of her thoughts came back with a familiar looking cup in his hand.

“Thought you might want one for a good night’s sleep.” 

Totally weird, indeed.

\--

Minseon woke up to the roaring sound of thunder. 

Oh, great. Just great.

She took a glance over the window where the skies seemed darker than the previous day, not even seeming to stop the heavy downpour any time soon. Minseon couldn’t even tell the time because of the heavy clouds hovering. 

And there’s always the occasional lightning flashes that seemed to be mocking her. 

“Ah, you’re awake! Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

Minseon turned to see Yixing’s head peaking from the curtain-slash-door, eyes droopy and hair a mess. He must have just woken up. Minseon found herself shrugging and trying to sit up, and to her surprise she did with minor difficulties. 

And as a matter of fact, last night's sleep was probably the best she has ever had for years. 

“Just fine. Whatever is in that cup of concoction anyway?” 

“That is for me to know and for you to find out.” Yixing chuckled as he entered the room, hands holding some medical supplies. “Breakfast will be ready soon. I think I should check on your injuries for the meantime.”

Minseon found herself shrugging, letting Yixing come closer to her. She felt her cheeks warming up when Yixing raised her shirt, flashing a dimpled smile soon after. 

“Seems like your side burn is healing up nicely.”

And Yixing seemed right. Gone were the blisters, only to be replaced by patches of dry skin. Her legs seemed to be lighter too. How could that even be possible? Yixing then started applying some ointment once more, and there it was again, that warm feeling from his hand that quickly spread throughout Minseon. 

“How…I mean…”

“Ah, the wonders of traditional healing. I guess you just need two days at most for your legs to fully heal. You don’t even have to use the splints anymore since your body’s reacting greatly on the medications.”

Minseon could only watch as Yixing carefully removed the splints on her legs. It wasn’t as painful as it was when she first woke up. In fact, she could now wiggle her toes without too much pain. Has traditional healing always been this…successful?

“I thought of giving you another drink of the concoction, but I deemed you might be too dependent on it.” 

The rain seemed to pour heavily by that time and Minseon winced. Granted that she still has two days at most according to Yixing, but if she were to trek back to the headquarters in the aftermath of the storm, who knows how long it would take? 

“Do you think the storm would end soon?”

“I don’t think it will, judging from the dark clouds hovering.” Yixing muttered, droopy eyes staring at the wet scenery outside. “And even then, if it ends tomorrow, I doubt you’ll be able to hike down to the village. I mean, you’ve just recovered.” 

Minseon let out an irritated huff, curling her fists in anger. She’s really fucked up royally, she’s sure the moment she steps within the vicinity of the headquarters, tips of guns would welcome her instead of open arms and bright smiles. 

“Do you have a cellphone? Computer? Or even telephone or telegraph?”

Yixing’s chuckle was mocking and Minseon knew the answer to her question. 

“There’s a telephone by the town a few kilometers of trek from here. Though I doubt you’ll be able to use it. The connection’s not stable during clear skies, what more during rainy days?” 

“Fuck, what kind of place is this? I don’t think there’s a sane person willing to live with these conditions!” 

“Well, do you think I’m insane?” 

Maybe. Probably. But Minseon didn’t dare to blurt it out. Yixing chuckled once more as he finished gathering the soiled bandages. 

“We have reasons, Minseon. Maybe we just want to be away the chaotic routine on the capital, or maybe we just want a peaceful life surrounded by nature.” Yixing’s smile was enigmatic and it sent shivers up Minseon’s spine. “We have reasons just like how you have reasons why you hunt mutants.” 

Minseon’s blood ran cold just as a loud roar of thunder echoed outside. 

“That’s…it’s different!” 

“Then do tell us, Minseon, the reason why you hunt mutants.”

Us? There’s nobody else around except the two of them, right? But that wasn’t what concerned Minseon. The fire hot feeling of anger seeped through her veins as she recalled that fateful night; how the rays from his hands tore holes in their walls; how her mother screamed as her father got hit by the bright rays; how her sister fell lifelessly on the ground; how her mother tearfully told her to run. The memories flashed once more in her eyes and it made her tremble. 

“My family…they all died because some deranged mutant decided to practice his skills at them. That mutant made me an orphan.” Minseon glared at Yixing through tear-stricken eyes. She never thought she’d be shedding some tears once more, not after all she had done to avenge them. “And when I was trained enough to hunt them, it was him that I hunted first. And I killed him in front of his daughter, just as how he killed my parents.”

“That mutant. Just one mutant, Minseon.” Yixing said, and was that a disappointment Minseok heard? “Doesn’t justify all the mutants you have killed.”

“But it justified the deaths of all the innocent people from mutant attacks, all the orphaned children because mutants used their parents as practice dummies for their powers.” The storm seemed get even stronger, the thunder and lightning growing more intense with every beat of Minseon’s racing heart. 

“Yet what about the children of the mutants you’ve killed? Isn’t it the same Minseon, how they got orphaned because hunters used their parents as a way to satisfy their blind vengeance? It’s a never-ending cycle, you know. You kill mutants because of revenge, and in turn these kids will grow up with revenge fueling them.”

A flash of lightning almost blinded Minseon as she stared at Yixing’s blank face, and for the first time Minseon ran out of words to say. All this time, she always had a rebuttal against every mutant comment thrown at her and yet here she was, mind blank while she stared at a guy she barely knows. 

“I…”

“You better get some rest.” Yixing let out a sigh and shook his head, steps hurried as he went out of the room, leaving Minseon with the sound of the rain drowning her. 

\--

Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Minseon didn’t knew how long it was before Yixing came back to check her. It was hard to tell time when all she could see outside was darkness and water. She was left alone with her thoughts, with only the rain and thunder to accompany her. All her life she had been looking through this war just within her perception. And now here comes Yixing, telling her all these things she never thought of – or rather turned a blind eye on. 

It really was a never-ending cycle. No wonder the war is still waging on until this day. 

And now, she only has two options left: Kill the kids as well or stop hunting mutants – choices that were neither appealing to Minseon. She’s been hunting mutants ever since she could remember, it was her way of life and couldn’t see her doing anything else. Killing the kids was a big no-no to her, they didn’t do anything – yet. 

But killing innocent kids can stop the X-gene from continuing in the bloodline. Killing them will rid Minseon and the government numerous mutants in the future. 

A thunder rumbled. 

But they are innocent. They’re kids. Innocent kids.

A lightning struck. 

But what if their parents are innocent too? 

The wind blew hard against the wooden walls. 

Minseon can’t help but scoff. Of course there aren’t any innocent mutants. They’re all vile and evil and want to wipe out the entire human race. 

Or are they? 

What if the mutants are blinded with rage as well, just like how the hunters are? 

“Fuck.” Minseon hissed as she let her fists curl and hit the hard mattress. Her mind’s clearly fucked up and this is much worse than how Baekhee fucked up hers on their last encounter. At least with Baekhee’s illusions, she could always tell herself that it’s not real, and will never be real. But now, with Yixing’s words…

A rustle interrupted Minseok’s thoughts, turning towards the door where Yixing was. His eyes are downcast and hands holding bandages and a cup. In the short span of time that Minseon had known Yixing, she hadn’t seen this kind of stoic expression in his face, and Minseon decided that it didn’t fit his handsome features.

Minseon opted to remain silent as she watched Yixing move about quietly, his nimble hands making their way towards her feet which she moved away. Contrary to what Minseon had been expecting, Yixing didn’t looked at her and instead let out a defeated sigh. 

“Look, it’s not like I’m ungrateful to you. But if you’re so against me hunting mutants, why did you even saved me?”

Silence echoed through her ears and Minseon thought she was not heard. She watched how Yixing, with a straight face, stood and gathered his supplies once more. A sigh escaped her, and to her disbelief, Yixing turned towards her with eyes that seemed to bore holes through her. 

“I’m a doctor, and it is my duty to save lives, whether they are humans or mutants. How about you, Minseon, are you some kind of god to decide who you must kill?” 

Minseon’s pounding heart seemed louder than the storm outside the small hut. Who is this guy who so easily made her question the belief she had ever since she could remember? Before she could conjure an answer, Yixing was already up on his feet and walking towards the door. It only made Minseon angry, at what she didn’t even know. 

“Look, the mutants also kill–”

“My parents, they died because the hunters suspect them as pro-mutants.” 

A round of thunder boomed so loud Minseon thought she’ll go deaf. But it wasn’t the thunder that continuously rang through her ears. Should she feel remorse because of what happened to Yixing’s parents? Or would she feel disgusted to the thought of humans supporting mutants? 

“And yet, here I am saving you, from the same kind who killed my family.” Yixing then smiled, but the mirth didn’t reach his eyes. “Tell me, is it wrong to help someone just because they are somehow related to the demise of your parents?”

Minseon didn’t have the answer to Yixing’s question. The question seemed so simple yet the answer isn’t. Is it wrong to hunt mutants? To kill people who isn’t even related to the murdered you encountered? To even consider killing young ones just to stop them from becoming mutants? If it was her, why would she even help a person related to the ones that killed her parents?

“You seem so adamant in contacting your headquarters. Maybe you’ll have luck in a few hours.” Yixing turned towards the window, eyes expressive as though he’s trying to communicate with the weather. Minseon thought that maybe Yixing was a bit loose in the head.

Or maybe she’s the lunatic one. 

She didn’t know anymore. And the sooner she contacts the headquarters, the better it is for her mind to stop being played with. In fact, she was too absorbed with her thoughts that she didn’t even noticed her legs that were almost healed of its injuries. 

“I’ve left a cup of concoction by your bed. Be sure to drink it before you go to sleep.” 

The words were muddled in Minseon’s mind because there were far too many thoughts running through her mind. And with every second that passes, the weight of her unanswered questions lay heavily on her shoulders. Even after drinking the concoction by her side and until before she fell asleep, the question still remained. 

_Am I still doing the right thing?_

\--

The next time Minseon wakes up, her body feels so refreshed. It felt like the way she woke up one time after having an entire week off. 

She found herself stretching, all the tight muscles and joints letting out a satisfying crack while the birds chirped outside– 

Minseon quickly sat up, the bright sunlight almost blinding her. 

The storm had passed and the sun was up once more. In fact, it seemed like the storm didn’t even existed in Minseon’s opinion. The leaves were dry and the ground didn’t even have a trace of muddy puddles at all. But that wasn’t what greatly surprised Minseon. 

What surprised her was the fact that she found herself standing against the window, checking out the bright scenario outside. 

Well, what do you know, Yixing was right. All it took was two days to have her legs all healed up. Or maybe not, since she lost track of time because of the storm. Who’s to know two days really passed by when all you can see are dark clouds hovering over the sky?

But then again, would it really be possible for broken legs to heal at that short amount of time? Minseon stared at her legs and decided to take one step once more. There wasn’t a hint of any injuries nor was the pain from the aftermath of broken bones present. Is it really possible for traditional healing to be this effective? 

Unless Yixing’s a mu– 

“Oh you’re awake! Seems like I was right about the storm and your legs, wasn’t I?” There it was again, the dimpled smile that was etched in Minseon’s mind for the past few days. And with the bright sunlight illuminating the room, she could see how handsome Yixing really was. He’s even lean. With just the right muscles and few inches taller than her – the ideal height for her if she could say so herself. “Do you feel any pain on your legs while you walk?”

Minseon had to blink a few times to wake herself up from her trance. What the hell is she thinking? She shook her head lightly, trying to clear her mind before turning towards Yixing. 

“Uh, no. None at all.”

“Good, I think you can hike down towards the nearby town with me later. But for now, shall we have breakfast?”

There was no room for argument, not that Minseon had one, as she awkwardly followed Yixing out of the room. The hut was fairly small, just right for a single person to live in. the walls were made of bamboo with different flora species adorning it. There were a few jars with plants inside, probably some medicine that Yixing did. 

Nothing unusual, Minseon thought. 

Breakfast went about without any incident. The only sound was of their utensils while they both finish up their simple eggs and bread. The silence seemed to stretch on until Yixing suddenly spoke as soon as he finished his plate. 

“The hike down is at least an hour or so, judging from the weather today. Might be a bit longer since we have to be mindful of your legs.” Yixing smiled, as if there wasn’t any tension present with the two of them last night. Minseon didn’t know whether to feel guilty or happy about it. 

“I’ll be fine.” 

“I know you’ll be. I’ve fixed your clothes by the way, though I’m really not that good at sewing.” 

Yixing moved about, gathering the plates and pushing another cup towards Minseon. She eyed the transparent liquid inside as she gnawed her lip. There was a pang of guilt that squelch Minseon’s heart. This guy was too much, too good to be true even after her bratty display of attitude. 

“Yixing, um,” Minseon started as Yixing turned towards the makeshift stove and sink counter, letting out a hum of acknowledgement. She felt her heart racing and it sucked because how hard is it to say thank you and sorry? 

Very hard when you’ve been a top mutant hunter all your life. 

It took a few more moments and a round of self-encouraging mantra inside Minseon’s head before she finally worked out the courage to open her mouth. And by that time, Yixing had already finished washing the dishes and was facing her with an amused expression.

“You should get dressed. Your clothes are by the table over there. The sooner we leave, the faster you can get in touch with your headquarters.” 

Minseon let out a soft sigh and a dejected nod, and found herself walking towards the pile of folded clothes – her uniform – before walking towards the room. A small smile graced her lips as she unfolded her jumpsuit for there were clumsy stitches on the tears and small patches on the holes. Yet in a blink of an eye, the feeling of dread took over her once more. 

Once she wears the uniform, she’ll be the First Rank mutant hunter Kim Minseon, and she didn’t know if she could be as good as she was back then. 

She didn’t even know if she still wants to be one, to be honest. 

And it was all because of a certain Zhang Yixing.

After a heavy sigh, she decided to change into her uniform, a feeling of discomfort and unfamiliarity touching her skin as she zipped up her jumpsuit. Has it really been that long since she last wore them. She found her combat boots by the end of the bed, mud and dirt all gone and it was even more painful wearing them than when her legs were broken. 

Once she was all ready to go, she took one last look at the room, as if memorizing all the little details in it before walking out. Yixing was waiting for her by the small dining table with a smile, before tilting his head to the cup she had forgotten earlier. 

“That should be your last cup. I doubt you’ll ever find something like that back in the capital.” 

Minseon found herself smiling, before reaching for the cup and taking in its contents. In all honesty, the concoction tasted just like water just like how it was before yet surprisingly she felt something different. Could she have been immune to it? She didn’t have the time to think it through as she felt YIxing’s hand landing softly on her wrist. And unlike the other times, the touch was also different.

It was a bit cold to the touch and nothing sort of calming. 

“Shall we?”

A nod was all Minseon could afford to do. 

As soon as they stepped out, the sun immediately soaked them with its hot radiance, with the leaves of the trees shielding them from the bright rays. There was a cool breeze that played with Minseon’s hair every now and then. It was a perfect day. 

“So, this is it, huh?” 

Yixing’s voice was as bright as the sun and Minseon couldn’t help but let out a small smile. 

“Yeah.”

“Will you tell your comrades about the doctor that nursed you back to your health?” 

“Maybe.” Or maybe not. Minseon didn’t want to tell anyone about Yixing. Call her selfish but the encounter with the young doctor was something only she should know. Not even the fact that he exists is something Minseon isn’t willing to share. 

“You know, there’s a rumor from the nearby village that a mutant with healing powers roam around the area. What if he’s the one who healed you?” There was a teasing tone in Yixing’s voice. If it was a few days ago, Minseon wouldn’t have found the humor in the statement, nor would she go indulge him.

“Do you think he will tend to my wounds once he saw my uniform?”

“Maybe.” There was an enigmatic smile on Yixing’s lips when he glanced over her. She didn’t have enough time to comprehend it because soon enough they arrived at a clearing with a forked road. Minseon wordlessly followed Yixing towards the right just as the clouds covered the sun. a few steps into the road and Minseon suddenly felt sweaty and a bit dizzy. 

“Then how will you tell them you survived Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee?”

Minseon’s brows knit in confusion. Did she even mention Chanyeol and Baekhee’s names to Yixing? She couldn’t remember, and she’s having a hard time remembering when her steps feel heavy and her vision starts to blur. In front of her was the blurry image of Yixing’s back and she had to blink a few times to get her eyes focused.

“I…I don’t know.” 

“That’s a shame. And here I thought I’d be having more stray mutant hunters passing by my hut.” 

Minseon couldn’t find it in herself to let out a chuckle. Even her jaws seemed to require more effort to move. Must be the sudden heat and movement, she supposes. 

“Who knows. Hey, do you think we’ll see each other again?” 

“I’d like to think we will, Minseon. I’ll be glad if you can catch me once more.” She was sweating profusely and she’s starting to have difficulty moving her seemingly heavy limbs. Just when Minseon could see the dense forestry ahead, she realized that something was wrong. Very wrong. 

It was too still and quiet. Gone were the occasional rustles of the leaves, the soft whistle of the breeze and even the sounds of small animals around them. Even the clouds seemed to stop moving and continued to cover the sun. 

“Yixing, I think–”

Yixing stopped walking and turned towards her with a smile, a different one she can’t decipher and it made her heart skip a beat. Her limbs seemed to give out on her and her eyes can’t focus on anything. Before she knew it, she was on her curled up on the ground, with her elbows barely supporting her. She could barely make out Yixing walking and crouching in front of her.

“If you can, that is.” 

The last thing Minseon remembers before she passes out is Yixing’s smiling face in front of hers. 

\--

Bright lights seeped through Minseon’s eyelids before she heard a loud sound similar to a helicopter’s rotating blade. Soon enough she felt hands lifting her up and she felt too weak to fight them off. The sound of a door closing shut off the noise and Minseon had the urge to blearily open her eyes.

She didn’t know whether she’d be happy or not at the sight that welcomed her. 

Kris Wu was sitting in front of her with his usual stoic face, arms crossed in front of his chest and she knew she’s fucked up. A team leader – _her team leader_ – accompanying a rescue mission was rarely heard of.

“Glad you could join us Minseon.” 

Beside him was Lu Hai, the agency’s best in tracking and gathering information, and Minseon’s so called best friend. She was wearing a smug smirk as if she just finished a difficult tracking mission in record time. 

“Give her some break. She just woke up.” A soft hand reached for her forehead. “I”d say you’d better stock up on water. You seemed to pass out due to near-dehydration.” 

Do Kyungri is a medic, a petite woman with round eyes that could literally bore holes through your soul. And that’s how Minseon feels at the moment under Kyungri’s stare. 

“Care to tell us what happened, Agent Kim?” Kris’ voice never seemed so scary to Minseon until now. And the sight of all the members of her little team assured her of impeccable doom. Lu Hai’s smirk grew wider while under the pretense of doing some work on her laptop. Kyungri, on the other hand, prompted to look out of the window as the helicopter (Minseon assumed) start to ascend. Though it was obvious that the medic was all ears at Minseon’s story. 

“I…um…” 

“You went out on an unauthorized mission and had the decency to send a distressed call after disappearing under the radar for a few hours. How irresponsible can you be?”

Minseon took a heavy sigh and opened her mouth to reason out when Kris’ words suddenly sunk in. 

Distressed call.

Disappeared.

 _Few hours._

“W-wait…I didn’t send any distress call– 

And then her eyes landed on her blinking watch on her wrist. Wasn’t it lost, just like how Yixing said?

“What…what day is it today?” 

There was a scoff from Lu Hai, eyes not leaving her laptop screen as she answered. “Thursday, the sixth of the month, exactly fifteen hundred hours.” 

It was impossible. She couldn’t have spent just a few hours with Yixing on that hut, could she? 

Yixing.

“There…there was a guy. We were walking towards the nearby town to use their telephone and–” 

Kyungri’s interest seemed peaked by that time, as the woman turned towards her with a raised eyebrow, and Minseon knew there was something wrong. Even Lu Hai looked up from her laptop with a confused look. Kris, however, remained stoic. 

“Minseon, we found you alone.” Kris solemnly said as Lu Hai typed on her laptop before tilting her head.

“Strange thing is there’s no records of any nearby towns from where we found you. Even the satellite maps said so.” She felt dizzy once more, and her eyes landed on the fabric of her jumpsuit. She frantically searched for the patches and clumsy sews on her jumpsuit yet failed miserably. It was like the cloth didn’t suffered the wrath of Chanyeol and Baekhee.

“But…Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee. I encountered them.” It was Kyungri’s turn to scoff as she stared at her, amusement dancing in her dark orbs.

“Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee died at the lakeside battle, Minseon.”

Was it all just a dream then? 

But it was impossible. The encounters were too realistic and painful. She was sure that she saw and felt her humiliating loss against Baekhee and Chanyeol before she passed out. She was sure she’s almost got blind and deaf with the thunder and lightning during that storm. She was sure Yixing’s chuckle and concoction and touches were real. 

A shiver went up her spine. 

_“You know, there’s a rumor from the nearby village that a mutant with healing powers roam around the area.”_

Yixing. 

_“What if he’s the one who healed you?”_

It wasn’t the concoction that healed Minseon, and she was too dumb to realize it. She should have trusted her suspicions then, that traditional medicine wouldn’t heal her that fast. But it was impossible. Yixing doesn’t match any remaining mutants on the database. 

Then maybe he asked the mutant to heal her?

Preposterous. 

“Uhm, I hate to break the oh-so-comfortable silence we have but I’m detecting mutant activity not far from us.” Lu Hai’s voice broke Minseon’s thoughts as well as their other companions in the small chopper. 

“Location?” 

“Nothing that’s too close for comfort. I’d say at least a few kilometers away. But…”

Minseon straightened up. Could it be Chanyeol and Baekhee? 

“But what?” Kris leaned closer to her as the girl furrowed her brows, eyes focused on the laptop screen. 

“There seemed to be too many of them, the very reason why they were picked by the radar.” Lu Hai’s fingers were rapid against the keyboard and Minseon waited with bated breath as the girl turned her laptop to them. An image of a map welcomed her eyes, and seven dots moving slowly towards the north of the mountain. “Let me pick up the satellite image.”

Lu Hai turned her laptop to her once more and Minseon could hear a click on the mouse pad. She assumed the act revealed a satellite feed of the forest, zoomed in on the location of the seven dots from earlier. Lu Hai let out a low whistle and turned to Kyungri.

“Guess who’s alive and kicking, Kyungri.” 

“And here I thought the earth was rid of one Park Chanyeol and one Byun Baekhee.” 

“Oh Sehun, that bastard. He’s still alive. Even Huang Yintao is.” Lu Hai gritted her teeth as Kris eyed the monitor intently. Minseon, however, remained quiet no matter how much she wanted to look at the monitor herself. 

“So do Kim Jongdae and Kim Joonmi. Surprise, surprise.” Kyungri deadpanned. “Who on earth is that last one though?”

Kris then turned towards Lu Hai with a stern expression. “Look through the database for the last person.” 

The gears on Minseon’s mind started to move. 

_The rain seemed to even pour heavily as the winds blew harder…_

Kim Joonmi has the ability to control water, and Oh Sehun’s power was the wind. 

_A flash of lightning cracked through the skies, as if it was disagreeing with what Minseon was saying._

Kim Jongdae was the bastard that can summon lightnings and use it as a weapon.

_“How long will it take for this storm to end?”_

_“I really have no idea. Minutes, hours, days…who’s to know?”_

The timekeeper, a codename given to her by the agency, was Huang Yintao.

Fuck. No wonder it seemed like she was only gone for a few hours. 

_“Then do tell us, Minseon, the reason why you hunt mutants.”_

And even if she didn’t want to admit it, she perfectly knew who that last person was. But the real question was, does she really know who Zhang Yixing is?

“He doesn’t have any data, sir.” A beep resonated from Lu Hai’s laptop, and Minseon turned towards her. From the serious face she’s wearing, Minseon deduced it’s something important. “Sir, another mutant appeared at their vicinity.” 

Both Kris and Kyungri leaned closer to the laptop and Minseon itched to look over as well, yet her fear was greater. Of what she did not know. 

_Liar. You’re scared to see Yixing in the monitor._

“Ah, that’s Kim Jongin, the shadow walker. Can teleport at will. This is just so… _daebak_. Did the gates of hell opened up and let them out again?” Kris scoffed and Minseon almost cursed.

_“There’s this guy who could teleport. He was quite a helpful companion while I was harvesting some plants a few kilometers away from here. Lessened more than half of the time I usually spend on doing that.”_

How can she be stupid?

The mutant alarm from Lu Hai’s laptop was soon gone and Minseon deduced Kim Jongin was responsible for it. 

“It seemed like all the remaining mutants decided to band together.” Kyungri mused as she leaned her head against the window. “Birds of the same feather, I guess.” 

“That’s the least of our concerns, Kyungri.” Kris piped in, eyes narrowed and glaring at the scenery outside the windows. Then he turned towards Lu Hai. “Find out who that last person is, Lu Hai. I have a hunch he’s the one leading them.” 

“Aye, aye, sir.” Minseon watched as Lu Hai turned towards her laptop again. And then she almost jumped when Kris turned to her with a blank expression. 

“We’ll talk later.” 

Another beep resonated from Lu Hai’s laptop, and Minseon almost let out a relieved sigh. Kris turned back to Lu Hai, waiting for her to talk. 

“I received an email from an unknown source. Can’t track the address of the sender. Message is encrypted and already scanned it for the fifth time for any malicious content. None found so far.” 

“Go ahead.” 

A few clicks here and there and Lu Hai’s expression turned from serious to shocked to smug in a matter of seconds. Her doe-like eyes twinkled in amusement as she looked up at Minseon who felt like the email is nothing short of good for her. 

“Sir, I may or may not have found out who the last person is. And I bet Minseon would be happy to know who he is.” 

Minseon’s heart skipped a beat, somehow not really feeling the least bit happy at all. She even found herself chanting a mantra in her mind. 

_Please don’t let it be Yixing. Please don’t let it be Yixing._

“He’s Lay, and someone just sent me his full information.” 

_Please don’t let it be Yixing. Please don’t let it be Yixing._

It felt like everything was in slow motion, how Lu Hai slowly turned the laptop towards Minseon, how the images on the screen seemed to load slowly and how her heart seemed to almost stop beating. 

For there in the screen was a photo of a man she was so familiar with for the past few days – or hours; a mop of messy, dark brown hair, droopy eyes staring at her through the screen and a dimple peeking out even with only a small smile present. 

_I’ll be glad if you can catch me once more._

So that’s why he knew who Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhee are. And no wonder his touches were warm, it’s no surprise why the last touch Yixing did felt cold. He restored her health with just a few touches and he drained her energy earlier in the same way. Minseon found herself clenching her fists tightly while her eyes scanned the details on the monitor. In big, bold letters were the name she never thought she’d hated more than anything at that moment.

**Name: Zhang Yixing  
Ability: Healing and killing through physical contact **

_If you can, that is._  
\--


End file.
